A successful harvest appeal by St Peter’s Church in Sheringham raised over £1100 for their local Foodbank’s fuel fund to help people struggling with rising energy costs.
Volunteers and church workers at St Peter’s have been supporting North Norfolk Foodbank for over a decade, and this year they decided that money from their Harvest appeal would go towards the Foodbank fuel fund.
Christine Player, Foodbank Coordinator at St Peter’s, said “A primary focus has been on gathering food and toiletries to help meet the nutritional and hygiene needs of those in poverty, but we have also paid attention to promoting awareness of the wider social, emotional news and consequences of ‘living without’. For example, parents have having to deny children ‘traditional’ Easter, Christmas and even birthday treats, sometimes they don’t have adequate cooking facilities and in recent times, even unable to pay for the costs of cooking and heating food and drink.”
In 2013-2014, St Peter’s launched an action plan with a key objective of Commitment to Service. The formal support for a newly established local foodbank came from this and over the years, the congregation has continued to respond to the needs of the local community and provide support to the charity.
Christine continued, “The Church’s foodbank collection point includes ‘Treat as well as Eat’ buckets and additional appeals and events to enable foodbank users to experience and enjoy some of the ‘extras’ valued by others in the community. Special donations such as Easter eggs and Christmas food and decorations are greatly valued by foodbank recipients, not just as products, but also as empathetic messages of caring love.”
The North Norfolk foodbank’s fuel fund provides fuel vouchers, guidance and heating and cooking appliances to eligible individuals and families. Last autumn, the clergy, church teams and congregation at St Peter’s Church were able to transfer over £1,100 and 34 kg of food over to the fund.
This article, including the picture above, was first published in the Diocese of Norwich newsletter.
Do you have a news story or forthcoming event relating to Christians or a church in North Norfolk?
If so, e-mail [email protected] with details and, if possible a suitable picture.
Tony Rothe, 10/01/2023
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